In May 2025, an 18-wheeler drove from Dallas to Houston with the driver's seat empty — the world's first commercial driverless heavy-truck freight service. This is no accident: America is short tens of thousands of truck drivers, and a highway that's straight, repetitive, and free of pedestrians is the "easiest autonomy there is." This lesson is about the two arenas of driverless hauling — long-haul trucks on the highway and last-mile delivery robots on the sidewalk — why they arrived before the city taxi, who's leading, and what the wreckage of the companies that fell first can teach us.
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Autonomous Trucking & Delivery2
Caterpillar Expands Robot Trucks to Two More Virginia Quarries
Caterpillar announced on September 15 that its self-driving haul trucks at a Luck Stone quarry are moving large tonnage, with expansion to two more Virginia quarries, Boscobel and Bealeton, including the first autonomous deployment of Cat 775 trucks. The company disclosed no order value, truck count, or profit contribution from the autonomy milestone, and autonomy was named on the earnings call only as a source of higher SG&A and R&D expenses inside Resource Industries. In the second quarter of 2026, revenue reached $20.5 billion, up 24% year over year, with adjusted EPS of $8.17, up 73%, while backlog climbed to $72 billion, up roughly $35 billion versus a year earlier. Power & Energy is the engine, with segment sales up 17% to $8.2 billion and power generation sales up 72% on large gensets and turbines for data centers, and gas prime orders extend toward the back half of 2028 and into 2029. Caterpillar trades at $798.51 against a consensus analyst target of $975.61, a trailing PE of 34x, and full-year tariff costs of around $2.2 billion for 2026, with expected IEEPA tariff recoveries of approximately $400 million.
China Nerin Signs Nearly $500 Million Contract for Zambia Copper Tailings Leach Plant Project
China Nerin signed a contract with KONKOLA COPPER MINES PLC for a new 70,000-tonne-per-year copper tailings leach plant project in Zambia, with a contract value of approximately $498 million, equivalent to about 3.378 billion yuan. The project uses a hydrometallurgical leaching process to recover valuable metals from existing copper tailings, with China Nerin responsible for design, procurement, construction and installation, commissioning, and technical support services. On the same day, the controlling shareholder of Fujian Expressway plans to increase its shareholding by no less than 130 million yuan and no more than 230 million yuan, with the increase not exceeding 2% of total share capital. Fulongma signed a sanitation autonomous driving technology development contract with Huawei Cloud Computing, with a total contract value of 200 million yuan and a term of three years, under which Huawei Cloud Computing will exclusively develop and deploy the Fulongma sanitation autonomous driving system for the company. Xianghe Industrial signed a railway fastener system component purchase and sale contract with Zhongyuan Lida Railway Track Technology Development Co., Ltd., with a total contract value of 178 million yuan, accounting for approximately 21.32% of the company's audited 2025 revenue.
Caterpillar Expands Luck Stone Autonomous Hauling to More Quarries
Caterpillar expanded its autonomous hauling partnership with Luck Stone to additional quarry sites in the United States, marking the first use of autonomous haulage on Cat 775 trucks specifically configured for quarry operations. The partners are targeting gains in safety, production consistency and workforce development through wider use of automation across these quarries. Caterpillar, a machinery heavyweight with a reported market value of about $360.2 billion, builds large-scale construction and mining equipment that can directly use autonomous hauling systems in quarries. The company's Narrative holds that heavy equipment is shifting from pure iron to technology plus services, with autonomy and electrification supporting multi-year demand and profitability, and deploying autonomy on Cat 775 fleets can deepen Caterpillar's services and software footprint rather than just sell more trucks. Rivals including Komatsu and Volvo are also targeting that services and software territory, while analysts flag tariff pressure, pricing competition and high capital intensity as weak points that could amplify earnings swings if customers hesitate on autonomy rollouts.
Fulongma to invest 200 million yuan in exclusive tie-up with Huawei Cloud for autonomous sanitation driving
After market close on September 17, Fulongma announced plans to sign a contract related to autonomous sanitation driving technology development and to cooperate with Huawei Cloud Computing Technologies on developing autonomous sanitation driving technology. The cooperation is an exclusive strategic partnership between the two sides in the field of intelligent sanitation, with a total contract value of 200 million yuan including tax. According to the announcement, the two sides have planned agreed three-ton and six-ton vehicle platforms, sweeping and washing business scenarios, and other elements. Huawei Cloud will conduct technical research on vehicle intelligent upgrades, drive-by-wire optimization, and cloud adaptation, and will exclusively develop and deploy the Fulongma Sanitation Autonomous Driving System for Fulongma, including cloud-based, vehicle-side software, and vehicle-side intelligent hardware solutions. Huawei Cloud will lead the adaptation and verification of autonomous driving algorithm software for three vehicle platforms in sweeping and washing scenarios. This is not the first time the two sides have joined forces. On December 11, 2025, Fulongma and Huawei signed a framework cooperation agreement, and on September 12 the two sides further signed a strategic cooperation agreement on embodied intelligence in the sanitation robot field. In the first half of 2026, Fulongma achieved revenue of 2.608 billion yuan, up 7.63 percent year on year, and net profit attributable to the parent company of 101 million yuan, up 7.27 percent year on year. Sanitation equipment business revenue was 808 million yuan, up 61.15 percent year on year, and sales of new energy sanitation equipment reached 938 units, up 81.43 percent year on year, accounting for 38.70 percent of total sales.
Morgan Stanley Lifts Tesla Bull-Case Target to $840 on Semi Truck FSD Potential
Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Percoco raised his bull-case price target for Tesla from $820 to $840 while keeping an equal-weight rating and a $400 base-case target, with shares trading around $357. The update highlights the Tesla Semi truck, where Morgan Stanley sees a scenario of more than 80,000 autonomous Semi trucks on the road by 2040, each generating as much as $18,000 a month in full self-driving revenue, for more than $17 billion in high-margin FSD revenue by 2040. Visible Alpha consensus calls for Semi units to rise from 4,000 in 2027 to 12,000 in 2028 as production ramps up, helped by a lower cost per mile than a typical diesel truck, as shown in a pilot with PepsiCo. On the last earnings call, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said the total number of Tesla Semi units is still low and will remain a very small percentage, and that developing FSD for the Semi is taking a bit of a backseat for the next six months, though it will definitely be working next year and in time for the scale-up to high production. Morgan Stanley maintains an equal-weight rating on the stock, and the Semi is not a near-term earnings driver but one to pencil in for long-term growth.
Daimler Truck CEO Karin Rådström Drives Turnaround as Chinese Rivals Close In
Karin Rådström is steering Daimler Truck, the world's largest commercial-vehicle manufacturer, through a cultural and strategic overhaul as Chinese competition looms over the European truck market. Since becoming CEO in 2024, Daimler Truck's share price has risen almost 40%, from €33.15 to €46.24, and zero-emissions vehicle sales climbed 67% in 2025, though group net profits fell 48% year-on-year in the second quarter despite a 5% revenue uplift, hit primarily by tariffs. Chinese companies currently hold just 1.36% of the European commercial-vehicle market, according to Dataforce, but SuperPanther and Sinotruk have begun production in Austria and Windrose has set up a European headquarters in Antwerp, while Windrose's Global E700 offers a 700 km fully loaded range against 500 km for Daimler Truck's flagship model. Defense is a key growth pillar: Daimler Truck aims to double defense-related revenues to €1 billion, or $1.17 billion, by 2028, a figure that would still represent only 2% of overall annual revenue, and it plans to invest mid-three-digit-million euros in its new Daimler Truck Defence brand while targeting Level 4 autonomous trucks for the U.S. market by 2027. Rådström, only the second woman to lead a DAX 40 company, has pushed a "simpler, faster, and stronger" operating mantra to cut bureaucracy, a shift Citi analyst Klas Bergelind says has decentralized the organization even as cultural change takes time.
Pony.ai Unveils Level 4 Autonomous Truck, in Talks for European Expansion
Chinese autonomous driving technology company Pony.ai unveiled a fully electric truck equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving capabilities, allowing driverless operation under specific conditions, on the 14th at the IAA Transportation commercial vehicle trade fair that opened in Hanover, Germany. The vehicle announced was developed jointly with Chinese state-owned automaker GAC Group, and mass production will begin in the second half of this year. The company also revealed that it is in discussions with European governments and potential customers regarding road testing in Europe. Vice President Hua Xin, who heads the robotruck business, said, "We have already approached multiple ports and several governments about this issue," noting that the company is focusing on markets with high labor costs or facing severe labor shortages, and added, "Europe is definitely an important market for robotrucks." Pony.ai currently operates about 200 Level 4 autonomous trucks in China, some of which run fully driverless, but few countries in Europe have established systems or regulations permitting test runs of autonomous vehicles. In a statement, the company said it plans to expand its robotruck business into European and Middle Eastern markets within the next two years, and it is also advancing its robotaxi business outside China, conducting test operations in multiple European cities including Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.
Einride and Lidl Deploy First Cab-less Level 4 Autonomous Truck on German Public Road
Einride AB and Lidl in Germany have deployed the first cab-less SAE Level 4 autonomous truck in daily operations on a public road in Germany, operating under a first-of-its-kind permit from the Federal Motor Transport Authority, the KBA. The truck, with no driver or safety operator on board, is transporting goods between a Lidl warehouse and distribution center and a Lidl store, and the companies will continue to expand the route toward a full multi-stop milk run model, with further deployments with the companies of Schwarz Group currently under discussion. Einride Chief Executive Officer Roozbeh Charli said Germany's approval process is among the toughest in the world and that obtaining clearance there gives the company a foundation to scale with confidence. Thomas Dangelmayer, Head of Operational Logistics at Lidl in Germany, said the project tests a technological milestone step by step and safely in real-world operations, while Serhan Yildirim, Head of Schwarz Logistics Solutions at Schwarz Corporate Solutions, said future-proof logistics is built through proactive action. The initiative, made possible through Einride's collaboration with Schwarz Corporate Solutions, Schwarz Digits and Lidl in Germany, is part of a broader effort to address driver shortages, secure continuity in the flow of goods and strengthen supply chain resiliency across Lidl's network.
Serve Robotics Inc. is rolling out Beacon, a new standalone product designed to overcome a key obstacle to wider robotic delivery adoption by reducing the difficulty of integrating autonomous robots with restaurant systems. The company estimates that almost two-thirds of delivery orders in its operating areas cannot currently benefit from robotic last-mile delivery because of back-end integration barriers, and Beacon is designed to address this through its own cellular connectivity, requiring only a consistent power source at the restaurant and no dependence on restaurant internet or an existing point-of-sale system. The strategy fits Serve Robotics' broader effort to reduce dependence on major delivery platforms, with management investing in direct merchant relationships while maintaining partnerships with delivery marketplaces; DoorDash deliveries grew 50% in the first quarter of 2026 and another 50% between June and July. Shares of Serve Robotics have fallen 63.3% over the past year compared with the industry's decline of 19.1%, and the stock trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales multiple of 22.38 versus the industry average of 11.91. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SERV's 2026 loss per share implies a year-over-year deterioration of 66.3%, with loss per share estimates for 2026 unchanged in the past 30 days, and the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Serve Robotics Cuts 2026 Revenue Guidance to $9-$10 Million as Uber Deliveries Weaken
Serve Robotics lowered its 2026 revenue guidance to $9-$10 million from $26 million, after removing the substantial second-half increase in Uber delivery volumes assumed in its earlier outlook. The company attributed the second-quarter Uber delivery-volume decline largely to changes in the operating model and integration between the two companies. Total revenues rose more than 400% year over year to $3.2 million in the second quarter, with DoorDash deliveries growing nearly 50% sequentially, advertising accounting for nearly half of robotic food-delivery revenues, and recurring revenues making up more than half of the quarterly total. Hospital robotics added seven multiyear contract extensions and two new hospital contracts year to date, while the Beacon device, additional marketplace partnerships and autonomy improvements aim to lift utilization across its 2,000-robot fleet. Serve Robotics has not quantified whether alternative channels can replace the lost Uber volume, and its shares have fallen 46% over the past year.
China sets smart EV roadmap, targets widespread autonomous driving by 2030
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology unveiled a plan for the intelligent electric vehicle industry on Thursday, September 10, aiming for widespread use of autonomous driving vehicles by 2030. Under the plan, China will accelerate the deployment of autonomous driving technology on highways, urban expressways and some city roads, with the goal that autonomous vehicles meet higher safety standards than human driving. The ministry said the Chinese government aims to elevate the automotive industry into one of the pillars of the economy, develop several Chinese automakers into the world's top 10 by sales, increase global acceptance of Chinese car brands, and expand China's role in setting international automotive standards. At the same time, China will tighten regulations on vehicle production, road safety, autonomous driving systems and software updates, and will consider special-case approval processes for key components and vehicles produced in small volumes. The ministry added that China will strengthen oversight of vehicle and battery production capacity, curb excessive investment, promote industry consolidation and eliminate inefficient capacity, as well as step up antitrust enforcement, improve product quality supervision, promote fair competition and rein in inappropriate incentives from local governments. For overseas expansion, the ministry will draw up guidelines for Chinese automakers to comply with the regulations of other countries, and will promote cooperation between Chinese and foreign companies in research and development of vehicles and key components, investment, and global market expansion.
Teamsters President Warns UPS Strike Likely in 2028 Contract Talks
Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien is publicly threatening a strike against United Parcel Service when the current five-year contract covering 330,000 unionized drivers and warehouse workers expires on July 31, 2028, saying he is not optimistic about reaching a tentative agreement without a walkout. O'Brien laid out the union's demands on a series of self-produced Teamsters podcasts, including no automation or autonomous trucks, protection of health and pension benefits, organizing UPS Supply Chain Solutions and the Roadie gig-delivery subsidiary, and a new right for all four union regions to strike mid-contract over deadlocked grievances. UPS spokeswoman Gennevieve Bowman said the current agreement remains in place through July 31, 2028, and that the company remains committed to working with the Teamsters, pointing to top driver pay of $45.75 an hour and no-premium healthcare as evidence the contract is good for employees. The 2023 agreement, which the union valued at $30 billion, included a $2.75-an-hour first-year wage increase, raised part-time starting pay to $21 an hour, and ended a two-tier driver wage system. UPS reported $88.7 billion in revenue last year and spent $1 billion on stock buybacks in 2025, while parcel analyst Satish Jindel of ShipMatrix argued a strike would let UPS hire replacement drivers at much lower cost and break the union. The last national UPS strike, in 1997, shut the company down for 15 days and cost more than $600 million in lost business.
Aurora Innovation Partners with McLane to Launch Driverless Commercial Hauls
Aurora Innovation, a US-based self-driving technology company, has achieved a critical commercial milestone by launching driverless hauls for McLane Company and securing an agreement with Hirschbach Motor Lines for a future fleet of 500 autonomous trucks. The company also reached its final validation phase for driverless operations and expanded its freight network to include new routes such as Dallas to Oklahoma City. These developments were highlighted in the Meridian Hedged Equity Fund's second-quarter 2026 investor letter, which noted that Aurora's stock closed at $6.32 per share on September 3, 2026, with a market capitalization of $12.67 billion. The stock has declined 10.48% over the past month but is up 10.30% over the past year, trading within a 52-week range of $3.60 to $8.57. According to Insider Monkey's database, 40 hedge fund portfolios held Aurora at the end of the second quarter, up from 35 in the previous quarter.
PlusAI to Go Public via SPAC Merger with Texas Ventures III
Plus Automation, Inc., known as PlusAI, a developer of AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks, has agreed to go public through a business combination with special purpose acquisition company Texas Ventures Acquisition III Corp. The deal values PlusAI at an approximately $800 million pre-money equity value and could bring up to roughly $300 million in capital, including over $60 million in fully committed financing and about $236 million from the SPAC's trust. PlusAI has generated $25 million in revenue from its HyperFoundry software platform and targets $40 to $50 million in contracted revenue for 2026, while its SuperDrive Level 4 autonomous driving system is already hauling freight in Texas with Ryder and International. The combined company will operate as PlusAI, with the transaction expected to close in 2026 and support a targeted 2027 commercial launch of factory-built autonomous trucks with partners including TRATON, Hyundai, and IVECO.
Ross Gerber Says Tesla Robotaxi Can Only Grow, But Warns of Delays
Investor Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth Management, said Tesla Inc.'s Robotaxi network will grow but warned it may not scale soon enough. In a post on X, Gerber noted that Tesla's robotaxis currently serve about 400 square miles out of 3.5 million square miles in the USA, calling the potential for expansion "good news" but adding that "bad news is we're all getting older waiting for this to happen… much older." Tesla is set to hold the launch event for its Cybercab in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, a vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals that seats two passengers. Separately, investor Gary Black of The Future Fund expressed skepticism about Tesla's autonomous vehicle business, and Tesla secured a 500-unit order from Swedish autonomous truck operator Einride AB for its Semi Truck, with deliveries of 75 units expected before year-end.
Serve Robotics Inc. ended the second quarter of 2026 with $240.4 million in cash and marketable securities, but its ability to fund robot ambitions is tested by heavy spending and a revenue guidance cut. Second-quarter revenues jumped 404% year over year to $3.24 million, with recurring revenues exceeding 50% of total sales and advertising nearly half of robotic food-delivery revenues. However, the company reported a $64.1 million net loss in the quarter and used $84.7 million in operations during the first half of 2026, while raising about $84.9 million through an ATM stock offering. Management lowered 2026 adjusted operating expense guidance to $140-$150 million and capital expenditures to $15-$17 million, but also cut revenue guidance to $9-$10 million from $26 million due to weaker Uber Eats volume. With over 2,000 robots deployed, Serve Robotics' next phase focuses on monetization, and its liquidity provides runway, but sustained revenue growth and tighter cash burn will determine success.
Citizens Keeps Tesla and Uber Ratings After Robotaxi Permits
Citizens analyst Andrew Boone reiterated a Market Perform rating on Tesla and Market Outperform on Uber Technologies Inc with a $100 price target, following news that Nevada regulators granted robotaxi permits to Tesla, Uber subsidiary Aviari Services, and Waymo. The Nevada Transportation Authority authorized each company to operate as an Autonomous Vehicle Network Company in Clark County, with Tesla permitted up to 5,000 fully autonomous vehicles in the first year, while Waymo and Uber are each capped at 1,000. Uber also launched its first European autonomous robotaxi service in Zagreb, using Pony.ai's technology and Verne's fleet, though it still requires a safety operator. Boone noted that Uber's partners are progressing, supporting expectations of a material ramp in autonomous supply in late 2026 and 2027, while Tesla's 5,000-vehicle approval is a ceiling, not a forecast, with the company anticipating around 2,500 vehicles this year.
Einride Reports 27% Revenue Jump, Plans 500 Tesla Semis
Einride posted a 27% increase in revenue for the first half of 2025 following its June 10 IPO, and the company expects that growth rate to roughly double in the second half of the year, CEO Roozbeh Charli said in an interview with FreightWaves. The results represent early progress toward converting approximately $800 million in joint business plans with customers into recognized revenue. Alongside the revenue gains, Einride grew its autonomous driverless operating hours by about 60% in the first half, with roughly 250 trucks deployed on its Saga AI platform across more than 30 customers in seven countries, including Amazon, Heineken, and PepsiCo. The most significant near-term expansion is a 500-truck order for Tesla Semi vehicles, which Einride will purchase, finance through third-party partners, and deploy on its platform as the carrier of record; approximately 75 of those trucks are expected to be deployed before year-end, with the remainder targeted for deployment by the end of next year. Separately, Amazon's middle mile freight network is absorbing 75 Einride electric heavy-duty trucks across five locations, a deal announced in April before the IPO, with the majority expected to be deployed before year-end. Einride is also pursuing a defense business unit built around its Android Driver autonomous software stack, having conducted a pilot for a NATO allied country and added retired General Keith Alexander to its board.
Gatik Raises $200 Million to Expand Driverless Truck Fleet
Autonomous trucking provider Gatik raised $200 million in a Series D funding round, its largest to date, to scale its driverless fleet and expand its middle-mile network. The round, led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies, brings Gatik's total capital raised to about $500 million. The company operates dozens of driverless trucks and targets more than 100 by the end of 2026, with plans to expand to thousands in the years ahead. Gatik has booked over $600 million in contracted revenue and completed 85,000 fully driverless orders, with 99 percent on-time delivery across routes covering up to 400 miles. The funding will support commercial operations, fleet expansion, and continued investment in technology and infrastructure.
PepsiCo Deploys 41 Self-Driving Trucks on Frito-Lay Routes
PepsiCo has entered a multi-year commercial agreement with autonomous vehicle startup Gatik to deploy 41 self-driving box trucks for Frito-Lay product distribution, marking a significant step in its logistics automation. Gatik, which raised US$200 million shortly after announcing the deal, will support the rollout of its autonomous middle-mile logistics platform. The partnership targets repeatable distribution routes within PepsiCo's supply chain, aiming to improve efficiency and reduce long-term transport costs. This move aligns with PepsiCo's broader technology-led productivity programs and its focus on supply chain optimization, potentially freeing resources for international expansion and health-oriented product investment. Investors should watch for future disclosures on fleet size, route coverage, and cost savings to gauge the materiality of autonomous logistics to PepsiCo's operations.
Serve Robotics reported a wider second-quarter loss and cut its full-year revenue outlook, sending shares down 17.8% since the Aug. 6 earnings release. Loss per share widened to 80 cents from 36 cents a year earlier, while revenue jumped 404.4% to $3.24 million, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 15.9% on earnings and 8.5% on revenue. The company lowered 2026 revenue guidance to $9 million to $10 million from $26 million previously, citing weaker delivery volumes and an uncertain Uber partnership that it does not expect to renew after early 2027 unless the operating model improves. Serve Robotics also posted a gross loss of about $8.8 million and non-GAAP operating expenses of about $40.4 million in the quarter, while its forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio stands at 13.31, a premium to industry peers. Zacks maintains a Hold rating on the stock, noting that software and recurring revenues are expanding and DoorDash deliveries grew nearly 50% sequentially, but near-term challenges from lower volumes and widening losses limit upside.
Pony AI reported second-quarter 2026 total revenue of $36.2 million, a 69% increase from $21.5 million a year earlier, driven by a 691% jump in robotaxi revenue to $12.1 million and a 40% rise in robotruck revenue to $13.3 million. The company's robotaxi fleet expanded to 2,000 vehicles, with plans to reach 3,500 by year-end, and it has secured over 4,000 vehicle commitments from Uber and other overseas partners, including more than 2,000 robotaxis across five European cities. Gross margin improved to 17.5% from 16.1%, while net loss narrowed 14.9% to $45.4 million, and cash reserves stood at $1.39 billion as of June 30, 2026. Management said it is on track to surpass its goal of operating in 20 cities by year-end and expects robotaxi revenue to exceed 3.5 times last year's level.
Retail drone delivery shifts from pilots to hybrid fulfilment
Drone delivery is moving from pilot projects toward a credible role in retail fulfilment, with Amazon planning to expand Prime Air to nearly 500 US cities and towns by the end of 2026 and Walmart having completed more than one million drone deliveries. Walmart is working with Wing on a network of more than 270 locations planned for 2027, while DoorDash received FAA Part 135 air-carrier certification in July and launched DoorDash Air, and Uber has agreed to introduce Zipline drone delivery through Uber Eats with a target of one million drone deliveries a day by the end of 2029. The future is likely a hybrid model in which drones handle small, lightweight, time-sensitive purchases in selected suburban and metropolitan areas, while vans and couriers continue to serve larger or consolidated orders. Regulation remains a key gateway, with the FAA proposing a Beyond Visual Line of Sight framework in 2025 and the UK Civil Aviation Authority aiming to enable routine BVLOS operations through 2027, but cost competitiveness will depend heavily on utilisation, delivery density, and increasing autonomy.
QuikBot Builds Robot Delivery Infrastructure as Serve Robotics Struggles
QuikBot Technologies is building the infrastructure layer for autonomous delivery, while Serve Robotics sees its market value fall despite operational growth. Serve Robotics traded at about $4.98 per share on August 24, 2026, giving it a market capitalization of roughly $380 million, down from near $900 million in late 2025. The company has deployed 2,000 robots and serves 4,500 merchants, but its robots cannot enter buildings, leaving the final delivery step to humans. QuikBot, a Singapore-based private company, offers an Autonomous Final-mile Delivery platform that lets robots use lobbies, elevators, and corridors, and has signed commercial agreements with DHL Express, FedEx, and UPS. QuikBot has also partnered with Neolix for end-to-end delivery and with Embed Financial Group Holdings to develop insurance for autonomous systems.
Tesla Gains on Robotaxi Approvals and 500 Semi Deal
Tesla shares rose 6.9% after Einride AB announced plans to deploy 500 Tesla Semis on its Saga AI freight platform over the next 24 months across major U.S. freight corridors, and regulators in Nevada and Texas approved Tesla to operate thousands of Cybercab robotaxis following its recently scheduled September 3 Austin launch event. Nevada's decision lets Tesla operate up to 5,000 robotaxis within a year, reinforcing the idea that Cybercab scaling could accelerate Tesla's shift toward higher margin, recurring software and ride-hailing revenues. The company's narrative projects $149.5 billion revenue and $13.1 billion earnings by 2029, with a $420.55 fair value implying 16% upside. Some analysts modeling revenue near $214.1 billion and earnings of $17.5 billion by 2029 see the same autonomy and AI milestones as reasons for far greater upside.
Tesla Rallies 4% on Europe Semi Launch and Las Vegas Robotaxi Permits
Tesla stock rallied 4% to $357.91 in Friday morning trading on two forward-looking catalysts: a Europe launch event for its all-electric Semi truck and Nevada regulators' approval of Las Vegas robotaxi permits for Tesla, Uber, and Alphabet's Waymo. Uber gained 2% to $79.79 on the same Nevada approval, while Alphabet rose 0.3% to $343.07 and the Global X Autonomous & Electric Vehicles ETF added 1% to $34.9, showing the rally is narrowly concentrated in Tesla rather than the broader autonomy theme. The gains came even as Tesla disclosed its largest-ever recall in China, covering 2.98 million vehicles built between 2018 and 2026 due to emergency door release failures linked to at least 15 deaths, and as Tesla's July retail sales in China fell 32% year over year while the country's battery-EV market grew 6%. Tesla's active Full Self-Driving subscriptions reached 1.48 million in Q2 2026, up 56% year over year, and the company says its Semi factory in Nevada is commissioning with production on track for 2026.
Einride targets 1,500 trucks by 2028 with Tesla and DAF deals
Einride reported first-half revenue of SEK 273 million, up 26% year over year, and expects growth to accelerate to between 60% and 73% in the second half. The Swedish company also announced two new partnerships: a joint initiative with DAF Trucks to integrate its autonomous driving system into DAF's electric truck platform, and plans to deploy 500 Tesla Semi trucks on its Saga AI platform, which would triple its current fleet of roughly 250 vehicles. Einride is targeting cash-flow breakeven in 2028 with between 1,500 and 2,000 trucks in operation, and roughly $800 million of potential long-term annual recurring revenue sits in joint business plans with customers. Net loss widened to SEK 1.12 billion from SEK 887 million a year earlier, driven largely by non-cash charges including a SEK 636 million recapitalization expense and a SEK 245 million share-based compensation charge. Amazon remains the anchor customer with a deployment of 75 manual electric heavy-duty trucks across five U.S. locations, and driverless hours in contracted customer operations rose 64% to more than 5,400 as of June 30.
ALSO, a Palo Alto-based technology company building driven and autonomous small electric vehicles, has closed a $150 million Series D financing round led by Prysm Capital, with participation from Eclipse, Greenoaks and MVP Ventures. The new capital will support accelerating the development of ALSO's autonomous vehicle platform and the simultaneous progression of multiple autonomous form factors for moving goods and passengers across urban environments. The company's TM-B Launch Edition electric bike is beginning to ship to customers across the U.S., and pre-order and configuration access recently opened for TM-B Performance and Standard models with initial deliveries beginning this fall. Earlier this year, ALSO closed a $200 million Series C financing round led by Greenoaks, with participation from Prysm Capital and a strategic investment from DoorDash, alongside a multi-year commercial agreement to collaboratively develop and deploy autonomous delivery vehicles at scale.
Little Caesars Teams Up with Coco Robotics for Autonomous Pizza Deliveries
Little Caesars has partnered with Coco Robotics to deploy autonomous delivery robots across locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, with San Jose to follow. Orders placed through participating Little Caesars locations on DoorDash and Uber Eats may be fulfilled by Coco, which integrates directly into both platforms' existing ordering systems. The collaboration has already earned Little Caesars two 2026 Franchise Innovation Awards, including Innovator of the Year for Operations & Technology. Coco Robotics, founded in 2020, has completed over 500,000 zero-emission deliveries across the U.S. and Europe.
Serve Robotics Partners With Grubhub After Losing Uber Eats Deal
Serve Robotics has partnered with Grubhub to fulfill food delivery orders using its sidewalk robots, just days after its years-long tie-up with Uber Eats fell apart. The rollout begins in Chicago, Los Angeles and Alexandria, and comes as Serve also launched with DoorDash in San Jose, California, and Washington, D.C., its seventh and eighth major US markets. CEO Ali Kashani told Reuters he expects the lost Uber volume to be more than replaced over time through Grubhub and other initiatives. The company slashed its full-year 2026 revenue forecast from $26 million to just $9 million to $10 million after Uber exited its stake and Serve decided not to renew the delivery agreement, citing falling order volumes and differing views. Serve's second-quarter revenue jumped 400% year over year to $3.2 million, boosted mainly by the addition of Diligent Robotics revenue rather than organic delivery growth, and the company lost more than $113 million on a GAAP basis in the first half of the year.
Uber Technologies and Zipline have announced a strategic partnership to expand drone delivery across the United States through Uber Eats. Initial deployments are expected to begin later this year, allowing customers to receive orders within minutes using Zipline's autonomous drones, and Uber will make a strategic investment in Zipline. Together, the companies aim to complete 1 million drone deliveries per day by the end of 2029. Zipline currently completes a delivery every 20 seconds across four continents and has completed more than 2.7 million deliveries involving over 20 million items. Uber is developing a flexible hybrid delivery network that integrates couriers, sidewalk robots and drones, and the partnership combines Zipline's delivery technology with Uber Eats' network of millions of customers and hundreds of thousands of small businesses.
Pony AI reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $36.2 million, up 69% from $21.5 million a year earlier, driven by a 691% increase in robotaxi revenue and an expanded fleet of roughly 2,000 vehicles. Chairman and CEO James Peng said robotaxi revenue rose to a record $12.1 million, while robotruck revenue grew 40% to $13.3 million and intelligent solutions revenue rose 4% to $10.8 million. The company expects to reach 3,500 vehicles by year-end and operate in more than 20 cities by the end of 2026, and it has secured commitments for more than 4,000 vehicles from Uber and other international partners, including over 2,000 robotaxis across five European cities. Net loss narrowed 14.9% to $45.4 million, and the company held $1.39 billion in cash and investments at quarter-end.
Serve Robotics cut its 2026 revenue forecast by more than half, sending its stock down about 15%. The company now expects full-year revenue of $9 million to $10 million, down from a prior forecast of $26 million, citing lower Uber Eats delivery volume than anticipated. Serve reported second-quarter revenue of $3.2 million, a 404% increase from a year earlier, but that included revenue from its January acquisition of Diligent. The company lost over $113 million on a GAAP basis in the first half of 2026 and had $240 million in cash and equivalents as of June 30. Serve stock is down almost 80% from its 2024 peak and trades at a price-to-sales ratio of 46.
Uber Technologies has sold its entire stake in autonomous delivery robot company Serve Robotics, catching the startup off guard. According to a regulatory filing on Friday, Uber disclosed the sale, having been reducing its stake in recent years. Serve Robotics was reportedly unaware of Uber's exit until news of the filing surfaced. The two companies have been partners since 2022, with an expanded deal in May 2023 for up to 2,000 sidewalk robots, but Serve hinted the partnership will not be renewed after it expires in 2027. Serve Robotics CEO Ali Kashani said during the recent second-quarter earnings call that from the first quarter of 2022 through the first quarter of this year, delivery volume through Uber grew for 17 consecutive quarters, but in Q2 that trend reversed for the first time due to lower-than-expected robot utilization. Kashani also noted the companies have differing views on their shared autonomous fleet and operating model. Serve reported second-quarter revenue of $3.28 million, missing a Street consensus estimate of $3.49 million, and lowered its 2026 revenue outlook to a range of $9 million to $10 million, down from a prior guide of $26 million, citing lower than expected delivery volume through its Uber Eats partnership.
Stratom-led team wins U.S. Army contract for autonomous logistics system TALUS
A team led by Stratom has been awarded a U.S. Army Project Sustainment contract to advance autonomous distribution for contested operations. The team, which includes ND Defense, Forterra, GS Engineering and Waltonen Engineering, will deliver the Tactical Autonomous Logistics Utility System, or TALUS, a modular, multi-mission capability set designed to close logistics gaps between Brigade Support Areas and dispersed forward units. TALUS will provide autonomous transport of multiclass supplies, generate and distribute operational energy, and integrate a range of mission payloads. The solution integrates proven militarized commercial off-the-shelf technology to accelerate delivery and reduce development risk. The team is committed to delivering the TALUS capability set in support of an upcoming Transformation in Contact unit’s Combat Training Center rotation.
Aurora Innovation signs IndyCar partnership and new driverless truck deals
Aurora Innovation announced a multi-year partnership with Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team, becoming an Official Partner with motorsport branding exposure, and reported new customer agreements to deploy its second-generation driverless trucks with logistics firms Charger Logistics USA and Value Truck. The company plans to expand operations on key U.S. freight corridors using its Aurora Driver system under these agreements. The stock trades at $6.69 and has returned 72.9% year to date, though five-year returns show a decline of 32.0%. Investors will watch whether Aurora's 2026 revenue lands in the guided $14 million to $16 million range and whether it approaches its goal of more than 200 driverless trucks in operation by year end.
Uber has partnered with over 30 autonomous vehicle companies in two years
Uber has partnered with and made direct investments in more than 30 autonomous vehicle companies over the past two years, taking a global approach to building its AV empire. This unexpected deal, which was announced in March 2026, could be worth up to $1.25 billion for Rivian. Uber sold Uber ATG to Aurora, Jump to Lime, and Elevate to Joby Aviation in 2020, but retained equity stakes in all of them. The company's AV deals accelerated in 2024 and now span robotaxi services, autonomous delivery, and self-driving trucks across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Aurora reports $270 million Q2 loss, details per-mile pricing for driverless truck models
Autonomous trucking developer Aurora Innovation reported a second-quarter net loss of $270 million on $2 million in revenue. Chief Financial Officer David Maday said the company's transportation-as-a-service offering carries a per-mile revenue outlook in the $2-plus range, while its driver-as-a-service subscription targets $0.85-plus per mile. Aurora plans to begin moving customers from the first model to the second in 2027, with Hirschbach Motor Lines expected to put 500 tractors into its fleet across 2027 and 2028 under a memorandum of understanding. The company reaffirmed full-year 2026 revenue guidance of $14 million to $16 million and said it is fully allocated to exit 2026 with 200 driverless trucks, equating to roughly an $80 million annualized revenue run rate. Aurora ended the quarter with nearly $1.2 billion in cash and short-term investments.
Aurora Innovation Reports Q2 Loss of $0.14 Per Share, Revenue Beats Estimates
Aurora Innovation posted a quarterly loss of $0.14 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a $0.12 loss and marking a negative earnings surprise of 16.67%. Revenue for the quarter ended June 2026 reached $2 million, surpassing the consensus estimate by 36.33% and doubling the $1 million reported a year ago. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates in two of the last four quarters. Shares have gained about 61.7% year-to-date, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 8.5% advance. The current Zacks Rank for the stock is #4 (Sell), with consensus estimates for the coming quarter at a loss of $0.12 per share on $3.1 million in revenues.
DoorDash launches in-house drone delivery program after FAA certification
DoorDash launched its in-house drone-delivery program, DoorDash Air, after securing U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification to operate commercial drone deliveries in the U.S. The program was developed by DoorDash Labs, its robotics and autonomy unit, and will eventually be integrated into its delivery app, according to a TechCrunch report. DoorDash is building its own aircraft and broader drone infrastructure but did not provide a timeline for commercial deployment. The company will continue working with existing drone-delivery partners Wing and Flytrex even as it develops its own capabilities. DoorDash already operates a multi-modal delivery network that combines human couriers, its Dot sidewalk robots, and autonomous delivery partners, with drones serving as an additional fulfillment option.